Friday, June 13, 2014

PSA: When to rethink SHARE THE ROAD

The corner of Roswell Road and Riverside Road in Roswell, GA, is one of the busiest intersections in Roswell. To get here, I take Marta Bus # 85 and get off at the intersection of the Roswell and Azalea bus stop, which is just a few 100 feet east of the number 258 on the bridge parapet.

As mentioned before, this is a very busy intersection. Roswell is usually a very busy road and while I am certain I can ride on Roswell and exercise all my legal rights to the road as a cyclist, it may not be a pleasant experience, especially given the 45+ MPH automobile traffic; and, the never-ending stream of automobiles. See map below for more details about this intersection.

Getting back to the topic of this post, let's talk about this 300-or-so feet stretch from Roswell road; going, west from Roswell road on Riverside. I have seen some cyclists ride here, but I won't comment on their riding style. For me, it is important not to jeopardize myself or the automobile driver, when I drive my bicycle. Particularly, in this little stretch, the road is very narrow, as you can see from the pictures below.

There is no room for error. As a cyclist, you cannot safely share the road with an automobile. Take the lane/road!

If you are a cyclist, riding in this area, please do consider taking the road, until there is enough room on the road for sharing. You would be doing a service to all of us. Thank you for your consideration and cooperation!

By the way, I find bus # 85 to be more punctual than bus # 185, which drops me off near Holcomb Bride and Marketplace Blvd. Moreover, I get to ride the Roswell Riverwalk trail, all the way to Riverside and 'the shortcut', which is very pleasant.